This investigation has been evaluating tongue motion in normal and neurologically impaired subjects using real-time B-scan ultrasound imaging with simultaneous audio and video recording during swallow and production of selected phonemes. Subjects of various ages ar being studied to determine if age-related changes occur in tongue activitry. Data have been obtained on 15 young normals and 22 elderly normals. Comparisons of normal tongue displacement during speech and those of neurologically impaired patients are being made. It appears that we can detect patterns of displacement, duration of motion and abberant sequences of movement using ultrasound imaging. Swallowing patterns are emerging which appear to differentiate between normals and patients. Finally this method is allowing soft tissue visualization of the intrinsic and extrinsic tongue musculature.